Electronic documents such as word processing documents and spreadsheet documents typically include semantic information that would be helpful if the information was recognized as such. Recognition and use of this semantic information could result in increased interoperability between desktop software applications and other desktop applications and/or web-based applications.
The ability to recognize data, such as in search engines and handwriting and speech recognition engines, is well-known. Additionally, various information retrieval systems have capabilities to label documents. For example, the LEXIS-NEXIS service provides links in some of its documents for company names, famous people and stock ticker symbols.
However, none of the services described above allow data to be labeled with semantic information on-the-fly, i.e., as a user is typing text or inserting a media object into a document and creating a document. Thus, there is a need for a method and system for semantically labeling data while a user is creating a document and providing user actions based on the type of semantic label applied to the data.
In addition to the need described above, there are other needs associated with electronic document program modules such as word processing program modules and spreadsheet program modules. There is the need for tighter integration between electronic document program modules and personal information manager program modules. For example, a user often wants to insert an address stored in a contacts folder of a personal information manager into a word processing document, such as when writing a letter. This insertion may be time-consuming. Typically, the insertion requires the user to switch from a word processing program module to the personal information manager program module, open the contacts folder, find the appropriate person in the contacts folder, copy the address from the contacts folder, switch back to the word processing program module and paste the address into the document at the appropriate place. Thus, there is a need for a tighter integration between information stored in personal information manager program modules and information needed by electronic document program modules.
There is also the need for tighter integration between web properties and the content of electronic documents. For example, sales people sometimes need directions to a client's site. The address of the client's site may be included in an e-mail message or electronic document. However, getting directions to the client's site via an Internet mapping service requires navigating to a website, entering the elements of the address into the appropriate search fields (e.g., street address, city, state, zip) and executing a search for the correct map. As another example, a company's logo may appear in an electronic document and more information about the company may be needed, such as contact information. Again, obtaining this further information about the company requires searching the Internet for the company's home page. Thus, there is the need for tighter integration between web properties and the content of electronic documents.
There is also the need for integration between information on an Intranet and the content of electronic documents because different organizations have different types of data they deem important. Certain industries, services and professions may have words and/or media objects which are commonly found in documents. For instance, in drug companies, chemical names are extremely important and there's likely to be a myriad of information about a particular chemical name on a drug company's Intranet. For car companies, the important data might be model names or part numbers. For universities, the important data might be names of professors, students or courses. In the real estate industry, the important data might be image media objects of houses, condominiums, apartments, town homes, or real estate agents. The conventional services do not allow customization of data that may be recognized. None of the conventional services allow third parties to provide (1) a recognition program module so that these customized words and/or media objects may be recognized and (2) an action program module so that appropriate actions may be taken based upon these recognized words and/or media objects. Thus, there is the need for integration between important data on an Intranet and the content of electronic documents.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system for semantically labeling data while a user is creating a document and providing user actions based on the type of semantic label. There is a further need for a tighter integration between information stored in personal information manager program modules and information needed by other program modules. There is also the need for tighter integration between web properties and the content of electronic documents. There is the further need for integration between important data on an Intranet and the content of electronic documents.